By: Islam Fadl

Cairo – Mubasher: Egypt’s tourism sector is expected to recover after news that the country will host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

On Tuesday, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that Egypt would host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

In a vote held at a CAF executive committee in Senegal to determine the host of the tournament, Egypt won over South Africa by 16 votes to one, with one abstention, BBC Sport reported.

Egypt has only six months to prepare for the continental major sports event, which is to be held in June.

The tournament will positively impact the tourism sector during the period of hosting, officials at the tourism sector told Mubasher.

Amr Sedky, head of the tourism committee at the Parliament, said that the tournament will promote tourism in Egypt over the coming period.

Egypt has to seize this opportunity to bolster tourism and to organise the tournament well, Sedky noted.

He highlighted that the tourism committee has discussed this decision at the parliament, stressing that the CAF‘s votes highlight safety and stability in Egypt.

Hosting the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournament will boost tourism in Egypt and strengthen ties with the African countries over the coming period, Sedky added.

He also projected hotel occupancy in Egypt to increase over the next period.

Winning the bid shows that Egypt is capable of organising such a tournament and that the country has recently been developed well, head of the tourism committee said.

The Egyptian government has to promote for the tournament inside and outside the country through advertising and conferences, he indicated.

The CAF’s decision will attract a huge number of tourists to Egypt during and after hosting the tournament, Sedky said.

The most populous Arab country will generate a large amount of tourism revenue after the tournament ends when the whole world sees how safe it is, he emphasised.

Egypt will host the Africa Cup of Nations tournament for the fifth time which is a record that has not been achieved by any African state yet.

Translated by: Mai Ezz El-Din